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On-line version ISSN 2219-0635Print version ISSN 0030-2465

Onderstepoort j. vet. res. vol.75 n.1 Cape Town 2008

Haemophilus paragallinarum haemagglutinin: Role in adhesion, serotyping and pathogenicity

T.G. Barnard; E. Van Heerden; R.R. Bragg; J. Albertyn

Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9301 South Africa

ABSTRACT

It is suggested that Haemophilus paragallinarum requires at least three haemagglutinins for adhesion during infection. This paper reports the partial purification and characterization of the HA-L haemagglutinin from H. paragallinarum strain 46-C3, a heat sensitive, trypsin sensitive haemagglutinin that has been shown to be the serovar specific haemagglutinin in this organism. Using the pi and molecular mass obtained, it was shown that this protein shares similarities with other types of adhesins found in Gram-negative bacteria. The haemagglutination assay conditions were optimized at pH 7.5 at 37 °C. It was also shown that activity is enhanced by the addition of Ca2+ and Mn2+ ions.